Excavator.



1 one E. HO Y. EXGAYATOR.

V AZBLLQATION YILED DEO.10,1908. 923,528. Patented. June 1, 1909.

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E. HOY. EXOAVATOR.

Patented June 1,1909.

APPLIOATIOI} FILED DBO.10,1908.

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EXCAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.10,1908.

Patented June 1,1909.

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EUGENE HOY, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

v EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane 1, 1909.

Application filed December 10, 1908. Serial No. 466,795.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE HoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavators, of which the folowin'g is a specification.

This invention relates to ap iaratus for ex cavating and dredging, and has particular reference to apparatus employed in the construction and maintenance of levees.

The invention includes several specific details of construction to be hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan indicating in a general way an apparatus comprising this invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional form of wheeled scoop, with my invention applied thereto, certain parts bein broken away to disclose that which won (1 otherwise be hidden; Fig. 3 is a erspective View of a portion of the mcchanism of Fig. 2, viewed from a different direction; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a corner detail, indicating the means for directing the carrying mechanism around the turn; Fig. 5 is a detail of the corner sheave and its support; Fig. 6 isa side view of the clutch, indicating its position when applied to the power rope, and Fig. 7 is a planv view of the same.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figures of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

The apparatuscomprising this present invention includes certain novel features of construction in connection with an endless flexible cable 10, driven in any suitable manner by means of a relatively stationary power plant including frictional driving mechanism 11, which receives its power from any suitable source, such as an engine 12 receiving its fluid from a boiler 13. The cable may be of any suitable nature and of any desired length, depending upon the work to be done and the conditions to be met.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the apparatus is intended for operation over a considerable extent of territory,-say tothe extent of two hundred or more feet in width and three hundred or more in length. In the construction of levees it is desirable and some times obligatory that large masses of earth be moved and placed in a comparatively short time,

and to this end I contemplate employing a large number of wheeled scoops, such as are commonly drawn by mules or horses, and connect the same detachably to the endless cable 10, whereby the scoops will be drawn, the cable being operated continually at any desired rate of speed. That portion of Fig.

. 1 indicated at A may be understood to represent the location of the levee to be constructcd and the territory represented by B as that from which the earth is taken to construct the levee.

In Figs.- 2 and 3 1 haveindieated a wheeled scoop 14 having applied thereto certain novel features of construction whereby the same is adapted especially for use in my apparatus. Such structure includes a frame 15 of generally rectangular outline. The frame 15 bars 16, which are curved or extended downwardly at their. rear ends at 16 and terminate in an attachment means 17, shown in the form of eyes, whereby thesame may be connected in any suitable manner to the wheeled the hounds where ordinarily the draft tongue would be connected when the scoop is being drawn by draft animals. A pair of books are connected at their forward ends to the frame 15 and have detachable connection at said hooks being adapted for disengagement from the scoop during certain operations thereof. \Vheeled scoops of the character referred to are usually provided with an arched axle 20 from which the scoop is susarched axle being tilted at certain times during the loading and unloading of the scoop. In order to prevent an accidental forward tilting of the axle, which might occur in case the point of the scoop should engage a slight obstruction, I provide a locking means in the-:foym of a bar 22 pivoted at 23 on the frame 15. The forward end of the bar 22 is provided with a foot piece 22, whereby the operator seated upon the seat 24 may by depression of his foot against the tension of a out ofalinement with the up er portion of the scoop in the usual manner. Atthe forporting and steering wheel 25, to the upper end of whose fork 26 115 connected a steering l lever 27, having interlocking engagement includes a pairof substantially parallel side scoop, herein ii'idicated as being attached to their rear or hooked ends 19 to the scoop, the

leaf spring 22 lift the rear end of the bar. 22 T the axle 20 and permitting of t iedumping of ward end of the frame 15 is mounted a suppended by means of hangers 21, the said also whereby he may by loo-king the mechan- U ing the catch in a position to prevent disvplacement of the ring 39 therefrom. Said the wheeled scoop to parta the jaw 31 and whose extreme outer end 36 ment thereof in one position of the jaw 32.

. the other jaw. The said shanks are proclutch from the cable. rope is attached to a ring 39 detachably for the ring and pivoted at one end on a stawith a toothed segment 28 rigidly connected j to the frame, the rear end of the lever being provided with a handle 29 within reach of the operator. By means of the steering mechanism described the o erator may cause kc of a wide range of movements for the purpose of being loaded and depositing the soil carried thereby, and

ism insure that the wheeled structure will artake of operation in substantially a right In order to attach m wheeled scoop to the power cable 10 I emp 0y a suitable form of detachable clutch 30, comprising a main jaw 31 and a jaw 32 pivotally connected thereto. The jaw 31 is provided with a double curved or ogee shaped grippin end for immediate connection with the ca le and at itsother end with a shank 31. The'said. jaw is provided with an intermediate slot 33 within which is mounted the jaw-32 on a pivot 34. The gripping end 35 of the aw 31 is provided with a cable seat, the said seat being on the outside of the jaw and disposed at an obliqueangle to the jaw. The jaw 32 is provided wlth an outer curved end which substantially conforms to one portion of the curvature of g is adapted to substantially embrace the cable seate 1n the cable seat to prevent displace- The opposi te or inner end of the jaw 32is provided with a shank 32, which lies against or close to the under side of the shank 31 of vided with eyes 37 which substantially register with each other and through which is assed a rope or cable 38 formed into a loose 00 which will permit the shanks 31 and 32 to e readily separated by the hand of the operator when it is desired to separate the gripping portions of the jaws to detach the r The inner end of the connected to the frame 15 of the scoop structure. As a preferred-means for connecting said-ring 39 to the frame I provide a catch 40 provided with an intermediate curved seat.

tionary pivot 41 between a bracket 42 and one bar 16 of the frame. After receiving the ring 39 in the curved seat the catch is turned n upwardly and, rearwardly and the free end 40 of the same is locked by a lever 43 holdever 43 is pivoted at the rear end of the j bracket 42 and has a downwardly projecting a side dra assist the steering mechanism 1n maintainingfree end of the catch 40. Upon rearward i movement of the lever43 the operator sets the catch free for the purpose of permitting automatic detachment of the power rope 38 therefrom, as for instance when the wheeled scoop has reached the place where it is to be filled by any suitable means.

In order fonthe power rope 38 to maintain truck and parts sustained thereby will be anchored in any suitable manner as indicated at 50. As will be seen from the description of the clutch 30, the same is adapted for cooperation with the sheave 46, maintaining connection with the power cable 10 while passing therearound. The inner surface of the lowe1'-c' :*ed portion of the jaw 31 conforms to .t he groove of the sheave 46, and the shank portion of the scoop 30 will be directed over the upper face of the sheave so as to prevent undesirable contact between the shanks of the scoop and the edge of the sheave. rail 51 secured as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 j to the frame of the sheave support in such a manner as to extend at one end 51 beneath the cable 10 and at the other'end 51 above the cable and sheave. The location of the guard rail 51 is such that its main portion, viewed in plan, is parallel to the cable and within the run of the same.

As viewed in Fig. 1 a scoop will be drawn from the region B in the direction of the arrow a-to andupon the levee A and whereupon at any desired oint-the scoop will be dumped in the usua manner. The scoop, however, willbe maintained in connection with the power-cable 10 until it approaches the power plant 11. At this point the scoop will have reached an inclined runway 52 and down which it will gravitate, the steering apparatus being properly set for this purpose.

The operator of the-scoop, or some other-' party, will thendetach the clutch 30 from the power cable 10 and promptly pass around the power .station 11 and subsequently attach the clutch again to the cable on the opposite side of the power station in order that the wheeled scoop may continue on its course toward the region where it will be again filled for a succeeding operation. As many wheeled scoops may be employed in connection with my apparatus as may be accommodated by the power cable. B attaching the power rope. 38 at one side of t e frame 15 the t on the Wheeled structure will the path for the scoop to a considerable dis- For this purpose I employ a guard to operate the scoops over a wide extent of territory. I prefer to employ in connection with the frame 15 braking mecl'ianism for the wheels 53 of the scoop. Said mechanism includes a pair of shoes54 mounted on independently journaled shafts 55, to the cranks of which draft rods 56 are connected at one end and whose other ends are connected to upwardly extending arms 57 of a crank 58 operated by a brake lever 55) within reach of the operator.

I-Iavin thus described the invention what l v is claimed as new, is

scribed, .the combination with an endless power cable, of one or more wheeled scoops, a power rope connected to each whee ed power cable around the turns, and means associated with each sheave to cause the: power rope to pass freely over the top of the sheave.

2. In an apparatus of the character set cable and means for operating the same continually, of one or more wheeled scoops operable wltlnn the runs of the said power cable,

a power rope connected at one end to each scoop and at the other end detachably con- 1 nected to said power cable, a horizontally disposed guide sheave at each turn of the cable, and a guide rall associated with the said sheave and having one end beneath the cable and the other end above the sheave to cause the power rope to pass freely over the sheave whlle attached to the power cable.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

steering devices supporting the front end of the frame, a power rope connected to the power cable and detachably connected at one side of said frame, for the purposeset forth. V

4. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with an endless power cable and means for driving the same con- ;tinually, of a wheeled scoop comprising a 1, In an apparatus of the character de- 1 frame connected at its rear end to the scoop structure, steering devices including, a wheel 1 connected with the other end of the frame, a power rope connected to said endless cable, scoop and detachab] y connected to the power cable, a series of guide sheaves directing the and means for detachably connecting said rope to the frame, said means including a pivoted catch, and a spring operated lever to prevent movement of the catch on its pivot.

5. The hereindescribed wheeled scoop embracing an upwardly arched axle, a scoop suspended from the axle, a frame connected forth, the combination with an endless power to the scoop structure, means to support and steer tlfe other end of the frame, means to propel the aforesaid devices, and means to prevent unauthorized tilting of the said axle, said means comprising a lever pivoted on the frame and adapted to abut at one end against the said axle when in normal position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE HOY I I/Vitnesses:

ARTHUR L. BRYANT, GEO. L. BEELER. 

